Ulrika Eleonora of Denmark

Ulrika Eleonora of Denmark (11 September 1656 – 26 July 1693) was Queen of Sweden as the wife of King Charles XI. She is often admired for her generosity and charity.

The name Ulrike is a Danish version of the name; in Swedish she is called Ulrika Eleonora den äldre (English: Ulrica Eleanor the Elder), to distinguish her from her daughter, the future queen regnant.

Ulrika Eleonora was the daughter of King Frederick III of Denmark-Norway and his spouse, Queen Sophie Amalie of Brunswick-Lüneburg. She was given a strict upbringing under the supervision of her mother: she was taught several different languages, and was reportedly a good student in drawing and painting.

In 1675 she was betrothed to King Charles XI of Sweden. The purpose of the match, though from the Swedish viewpoint, was to prevent Denmark from forming an alliance with the enemies of Sweden. Her brother, the King of Denmark-Norway, was not enthusiastic about the match, but he left the decision to her mother, who was very eager to complete it because it would give Ulrika the status of queen. The engagement was announced 13 July 1675.

During the Scanian War between Denmark-Norway and Sweden in 1675–1679 she was encouraged to break the engagement. Her brother broke it for her in 1676, but she herself continued to regard herself engaged. She was considered as a possible bride by the Prince of Orange in 1676 and then by Leopold I, Holy Roman Emperor, but she refused a different match. During the war, she gained a reputation for loyalty to her future home country by exhibiting kindness to Swedish prisoners: she pawned her jewelry and her engagement ring to buy food, ose, and medicine for the Swedish prisoners of war. She also refused to participate in the celebrations arranged in honor of Danish victories over Sweden.

During the peace negotiations between Sweden and Denmark-Norway in 1679, the marriage between her and Charles XI was again on the agenda, and was ratified on 26 September 1679. The marriage contract was signed 6 February 1680, and when the Swedish representative Johan Göransson Gyllenstierna returned to Sweden, he escorted her to Sweden on his return home. During one of the celebrations in honor of her marriage, her name and the name of her groom were written with fireworks. One of the spectators pointed out that the person whose name died out first was the one who was going to die first. When her name went out first, she stated that she hoped it would truly be so, for she could not bear to outlive her spouse.

Ulrika Eleonora was popular in Denmark due to her charity. When she left for Sweden, her brother Christian V made his farewell at Frederiksborg, during which he gave her back the jewels she had pawned in favor of the Swedish prisoners of war, including her engagement ring. When she made her farewell to him, she said that she did not think she would ever see him again, but: "as I am now regarded a pawn of peace between Denmark and Sweden, I ask God for the grace to fulfill such a glorious commitment; so that my behavior may contribute to eradicate all hostility between these two people and instead forever unite them in friendship."

In Helsingør, where she said her farewell to her mother and sisters, she thanked the Danes for their farewell greetings with the words: